Basic Blackjack Tips for Your Soft Hands

In blackjack, your hands (set of cards) may be referred to as hard hands or soft hands. The ace is what draws the line between a blackjack hard hand and soft hand. In blackjack, the ace card may be given a value of one or eleven. A blackjack hard hand is when your cards do not include an ace, which is given a value of eleven. If your blackjack hand includes an ace with a value of eleven, this is called a soft blackjack hand.

If you have already learned the basic blackjack tips, you know that that your decision to hit, stand or double down depends on the total of your blackjack hand. At times, you also have to consider what the blackjack dealer's upcard is showing.

The blackjack strategy that is used for a hard hand and a soft hand is different. This is because for a blackjack soft hand, the ace card is given an initial value of eleven. However, after you've hit (if you chose to hit), the ace card could have a value of one, which will require you to use a different strategy to beat the blackjack dealer. Your blackjack hand total and the dealer's upcard are also considered when employing these tips.

* Hit if your blackjack soft hand total is seventeen or less. You don't even have to consider what the blackjack dealer's upcard is showing.

* For a total of eighteen for your blackjack soft hand, hit only if the blackjack dealer has a six card or less. If not, it is safest to stand.

* A total of nineteen for your blackjack soft hand is a good sum. Do not risk busting by making a hit. Choose to stand if you have this total. This is also true if you blackjack hand is greater than nineteen.

* If your blackjack soft hands total is from thirteen to eighteen, use the double down option only if the blackjack dealer's upcard shows a five of a six. Doubling down is an option advantageous to blackjack players if you know how to use it correctly. This allows you to double your initial bet in blackjack before you make a hit. Not all blackjack tables offer doubling down as an option.

Seems simple, right? But they were proven to work. You can observe blackjack tables in the casino and you will see that the players who win use these blackjack strategies.